A Saddle Of Hope
by KoiFishLove
Summary: With Carol's law obiding family disagreeing with her choice of love,Ed persuades her to leave with him.They move to a farm but when she's there,Carol finds herself questioning Ed too. I hate summaries. AU no ZA.


AN:

**Before I get into the story,thank you for choosing to read this!PLEASE leave a comment/review/whatever you call it even if it's to say that the story is terrible because then at least I know.Once again,thank you for choosing to read this and I hope you like it.**

A Saddle of Hope

Carol had a normal life.

She had a strict mother and father.

Her mother was a house wife and her father was a well-known doctor.

She had a little sister,Johanna who was five years younger than her.She studied hard and did as her parents told her.

"A woman must study hard and care for her husband and children.She must give herself to her husband,fully,and he will love and cherish her in return."

Her mother would lecture Carol and Johanna,after dinner as they pooled at her feet in the sitting room.Their father would scold their mother lightly,playfully saying "Delilah,leave them be,Carol's only nine and Jojo's only four.."Her mother would reply with a simple

"Honey,they like listening to the stories.They need them."

They would listen carefully,but of course as they grew older some teachings became silly-especially to Johanna.

"Mom! Wearing jeans and a tank top doesn't instantly make you a floozie-as you call them."Johanna would say,glancing down at her clothing choice.

Her mother would scoff and reply,her voice rising in irritation."Have you seen some of the girls your age?Floozies! Slappers!_Far _too much skin on show-and they're not even married yet!"

But of course,her mother and father both loved them dearly and that's why they were strict.They loosened some of the rules when they turned thirteen but jeans still needed to be baggy,knee-length skirts with tights and tank tops with a cardigan.The girls were joyful in their victory,but Carol and Jojo would still help their mother with the chores and study hard and,despite her mother's small argument,Carol was even planning to go to Catering school-she usually took over mealtimes and loved to bake.She had a plan to work part time at Daisy's Diner and go to catering school,then she'd take out a loan and start up her own restaurant.

It was all going well.

She had a part-time job at Daisy's and was waiting to finish high school and start college.

That's when she met Edward Peletier.

Ed was the guy that all the girls secretly liked in one way or another.He was a heartbreaker,the list of girlfriends he had in one year was long enough. Libby, Sarah, Tia, ,Lola, Jane.

Though,both Sarah and Lola lied,according to Ed.They hadn't properly gone out,just hooked up in different ways.

But then came Carol.

She had been in the library and he just started talking to her-she wasn't popular,not in the slightest.So it came as a shock that somebody like Ed would speak to her.And,naive as she was,Carol and him started to date.

She'd fallen hopelessly in love and,despite everything her mother had said and told her all her life,she gave herself to Ed before marriage.He'd got her into believing that they'd marry ,which wasn't a lie as that was exactly what they were planning.Just not at that time of course.

Then her parents found out.It was at least a good two years after and they found out that Carol and Edward were physical.Carol never did know how but they argued.Badly argued.She was so sure that Ed was a good guy and that her parents would accept her choice and understand,but no.

Her parents accepted it but they didn't agree with it.They were nowhere close to agreeing _or _understanding it.

That's why when Ed talked about moving out of their town of Woodbury,Carol agreed.She loved her parents and loved her sister but she needed to start her own life.She and Ed were going to marry and she had told her parents before 'agree with it or let me go.'

So it caused another argument.And they left.

~SOH~

It was a hot Georgia day,the sun a searing ball of fire and gas-at least to Carol.

She'd been invited over to Ed's and they were in his back garden,when she'd arrived he quickly had her into the quiet and secluded part of the garden where his parents wouldn't see.It was surrounded by hedges and a tall oak stood there-overlooking the rest of the posh garden,a wooden seat for two hung from four thick strips of rope from one of the branches.It was pretty,and when Carol took a seat next to him he'd pulled her onto his lap- a hard _thing_ coming through his jeans and poking against her butt.It made her uncomfortable,to say the least.She'd never really been a fan of sex with Ed,but she guessed that's why God said to only have it for procreation-that's what her mother told her when she was little anyways.But Ed liked it,so she complied with the request almost all the time just because she didn't enjoy it didn't mean that she had to take it away from someone who does,right?

She took a seat.Straight away,Ed's head landed on her shoulder and started to kiss her neck roughly,he whispered."I found a place for us to go to."

"Where?"

"It ain't perfect,but it'll do-comes with jobs for both of us too."

"Where is it,Ed?That didn't answer my question."Carol replied,annoyed that he'd continued like she hadn't said anything,though she kept her voice even.

"A few miles away,called Alexandria.There's farms there. I found one,owned by some old guy called Hershel Greene and he's got stables too.We'd get to live in his farmhouse,work a bit on the farm and the stables-hell,maybe even race a few horses in the competitions.He's got winners."

"That's sounds nice.How much is the pay?Rent?"Carol asked,pulling away slightly to get a better look at Ed.

"No rent.Get paid depending on the jobs we do.Get a schedule.Thats what it said online."Ed grumbled,pulling out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lighting one.Carol turned her head around again,she didn't agree with Ed smoking,they're only twenty for chrissake.

They'd already discussed about Carol's catering school and Ed talked her into giving up her dream so she wouldn't mind working with animals-she always had a soft spot for them.And horses were majestic, wonderful creatures so working in the stables would be fantastic and probably a good enough excuse to miss out on catering school.Carol agreed to moving to Alexandria.So they planned it.Planned on leaving the next morning to arrive at Alexandria by supper time.

~SOH~

It was about ten o'clock at night when Carol finished packing.Outside,the moon was full and darkness engulfed the street like a coat ,in the distance Carol could hear the faint barking of dogs.Then,all of a sudden she got melancholic,

_That'll be the last time I hear those same dogs barking in the middle of the night._

And then...

_Tonight will be the last time I sleep in this bed._

She was excited and scared but she needed to do what was right at the time,she needed to go.

_I'm going to marry Ed.This was bound to happen.Sooner or later._

She thought to herself.Carol hid her small black suitcase under her bed quietly and glided over to her desk chair.She collapsed onto it,thinking over what she took again.She took just a few clothes and she took a small wad of cash that she had ,it wasn't much,just fifty dollars but it was enough for the way there.She also took the small amount of makeup that she wore and the rest of her cosmetics.Satisfied she had everything,she pulled out a pen and paper.

_Mom,Dad and Jojo,_

_I love you guys.I do,but I'm going to marry Ed eventually and I need to be around people who accept my decision which none of you do.Jojo,you won't say it out right but I know you don't._

_I'm moving away.I will visit,I will call,I might even send letters but don't come trying to find me.Its better this way,trust me._

_I need to move away to protect the ones I love.So I'm doing just that._

_I love you guys.We already know where we're going so don't worry about us running around in circles.We have a place._

_You'll hear from me soon._

~_Carol_

Carol sighed,folding up the paper and writing in big letters "READ THIS" at the top.The last time she'd see her family in a long ,long while was just two hours ago.A wave of sadness rocked her body and she couldn't help but let a few silent tears escape.She'd not see them,their neighbours and maybe not even the town for years.It was a scary thought.A scary thing,even.To leave everything she's ever known and go to some random farm with Ed.But it needed to be done

Carol dried her eyes,sighed once more and stood up.She left the note on her desk and checked her phone,making sure an alarm was set for five am,then she crawled under her covers one last time.

~SOH~

Carol had fell asleep on the way to the Greene farm.She'd only slept for an hour the night before and even her concealer struggled to cover up the bags under her eyes-and an energy drink just seemed to make her even sleepier.The loud rumbling of Ed's car had lulled her to a light sleep.

But,after a few hours of driving and three different pit stops,they had turned down a long dirt track with large green pines on either side.The trees seemed full of secrets,spooky even, and the light shining through the leaves dappled the dirt road randomly ,leaving a pretty pattern.

Then the trees suddenly disappeared and Carol was greeted with the sight of a large,white farmhouse surrounded with long swathes of grass.On the other side of the farm house laid a big wooden barn with stacks of hay sitting outside of it.The main track turned and it led to a structure of similar size to the farmhouse but longer.It was a squat little building.

Carol could make out a horse outside the building nibbling on grass but upon Ed driving further along the road she could see that a tall man with dirty blonde hair was grooming the large chestnut horse.The man looked up,his lips lifting in a sort of half smile at the car as he brushed some of his long bangs away from his handsome face.Carol smiled at the man in return and as she did,Ed placed his hand on her knee

"Looking at the horse , eh?"

"Um,yea."

Carol didn't see the point in dismissing his conclusion,she did look at the horse with its long, brown legs and thick ,silky mane.But the man there smiled so it was only polite to return it.The road turned once again to the front of the towering farmhouse.

A tall man came out of the house.He had a white beard and his white hair was combed back neatly.He walked with an air of importance about him.

_This must be Hershel._

Carol thought as she and Ed got out of his car.Hershel smiled at the two from the patio and after him came a young girl,perhaps in her early twenties (like Ed and Carol) with dark brown hair that was cut short.She had on tight jeans and a red low cut top which made Carol both jealous and happy.

She'd be able to wear tight jeans and low cut tops now,her family weren't there to tell her what to do.

But then she became sad,wondering if her family had found the note on her desk.

"Hello there."Greeted Hershel with a grin."Im Hershel,and this here's my farm."


End file.
